THE IRISH Government will implement further coronavirus restrictions on Monday, according to Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris.
The Cabinet is due to meet this week to finalise plans following a continued rise in Covid-19 case numbers and coronavirus hospital admissions
Mr Harris confirmed the plans during an interview on RTÉ's The Week in Politics, confirming that the new proposals will likely impact all of Irleand.
"The Government will act tomorrow, the action will be decisive and the action will be right across the country, it will be nationwide action,” he said.
"It's clear now that the virus is at such a level in all our communities that a county-by-county approach will not be sufficient, so tomorrow we will have to bring in more restrictions".
The Minister for Higher Education acknowledged that the Level 3 restrictions in place have "not worked in terms of getting the virus to where it needs to get to".
He added that the Government needed to strike balance restrictions “with our honest view on what people can bear or sustain”.
Harris’s remarks come a day after political leaders received a briefing from health chiefs on Saturday recommending further restrictions as part of a package of measures designed to stem the flow of the virus.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is calling for Irelnd to Level 5 of the Covid-19 restrictions framework for six weeks.
Under Level 5 restrictions, the public would be required to remain within 5km of their home, while bars and restaurants will only be allowed to offer takeaway services.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan met at Government Buildings in Dublin on Saturday along with Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan, deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn and epidemiologist Prof Philip Nolan.
The cabinet will meet on Monday to discuss plans.
Ob Friday, the Taoiseach acknowledged the situation as “very serious” and that “further action” is required.
See More: Coronavirus, Covid-19, Lockdown, Simon Harris
